Commonwealth v. Cristina’s Empirical Analysis
1978
Citation profile
63 state decisions
How this case has been cited
Cited by 65 later decisions — most recently June 2012 · most notably Commonwealth v. Williams (1994), Commonwealth v. Goldblum (1982)
63 state decisions
Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.
Relationships
Relies on Chambers v. Mississippi · Commonwealth v. Farquharson · Commonwealth v. Kravitz · Commonwealth v. Gockley · Commonwealth v. Bolish
Most-quoted passages
The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 65 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.
“[Appellant’s] reliance on contradictions between [the witness’] out-of-court statements and his in-court testimony is misplaced, for such discrepancies concern credibility and do not render impossible rational consideration of the evidence presented. A new trial may be appropriate in a case where the testimony at trial is hopelessly contradictory, but in this case [the witness’] testimony at trial was consistent. Appellate courts reverse convictions based upon unreliable or contradictory evidence in order to prevent the verdict from being based upon mere conjecture ‘rather than the product of reasonable reconciliation.’ Such a purpose would not be served by removing evidence from the jury’s consideration merely because it was challenged by the defense as to its credibility. (Emphasis in original).”
2 later decisions quote this exact passage“. . . false or contradictory statements by the accused are admissible since the jury may infer therefrom that they were made with an intent to divert suspicion or to mislead the police or other authorities, or to establish an alibi or innocence, and hence are indicatory of guilt.”
2 later decisions quote this exact passage““Traditionally under our system of jurisprudence, issues of credibility are left to the trier of fact for resolution. . . While there may be some legitimacy for a trial court, who has also observed the witnesses as they testified, to consider the weight of the evidence and to that extent review the jury’s determination of credibility, there is surely no justification for an appellate court, relying solely upon a cold record, to exercise such a function. (Emphasis added, citation omitted).”
1 later decision quote this exact passage
How this case has been treated — in progress
Whether each later court followed, distinguished, criticized, or overruled this decision. The treatment classification (task #35) runs highest-cited cases first and lights up here as it reaches this one.